Author's Note: So I watched Z Nation a while back, but I restarted it recently. This idea has been rolling around in my head for a while, it is part of a series of three separate but connecting one-shots, as the same characters are the focus in all of them. I decided to go ahead and post the first part tonight, expect the others fairly quickly. Also can I just say, I need the fourth season... like yesterday... Okay awkward author's moment over. Enjoy.
Being fourteen is hard, being fourteen at the start of the apocalypse is harder. Ashlyn never blamed her family for the hard choices they were forced to make those first two years, but she did blame them for dying. For leaving her alone in the middle of a literal hell on earth. She wasn't sure how she had made it as far as Nevada, and she hadn't even really been sure where in Nevada she was when she stumbled upon Sir. Sir owned a hotel that was well secured with a large amount of trade and man power, it was the perfect place to stay or so he made it out to be when he offered Ashlyn the opportunity.
It was true compared to many of the women who lived there. She was treated well, fed daily, given clothing, and her own room with a bed. It was more than most could even dream of in the apocalypse.
However she could admit she was tired of waking up with a Sir's arm draped over her waist, his touch on her bare skin. He had been doing this for about the last three months, the same night Shelly convinced him that Ash was finally old enough to take up business herself. It was the same night Shelly was rejected by a well off patron who snubbed the entire establishment when he found out the girl he wanted was not for sale due to her age. That putting something on that display but not offering the product was no way to run a business, even in the end.
Ashlyn attempted to push herself from the bed without waking Sir. "Babydoll," his voice sent a cold tingle down her spine, she hated to admit it but she was afraid of him. "Where are you going?"
"It's morning, I thought I would go fetch you some breakfast," the lie rolled of her tongue as it had every morning that month.
"You wouldn't leave without saying goodbye, right babydoll." She knew what he meant, and it sickened her. The man who had offered her a safe life now used that to his advantage.
She leaned over his body and pressed her lips gently against his cheek. "Of course not, Sir." She said as she pulled away and grabbed her over sized shirt she used to cover the outfits he made them wear for work. It was essentially spandex shorts and some form of bra, it was what all the women wore that lived in the small hotel. She pulled her arms into the sleeves one at a time and wrapped it tightly around her body.
"Send that new red-head in when you leave, Babydoll." He said rolling back over in the bed that he had moved her too recently. Her old room was down the hall and it was where most of her clothes and few personal belongings were stored. Unlike most of the girls she never had to share this room, at first because she reminded Sir of what he wanted in a daughter, then what he wanted in a mistress.
She stepped into her room to change into what she would wear for the show that day, just like every other day. It had been laid out by Shelly during some point in the night and she never questioned it, just cleaned off her body and placed the garments on her skin.
Today had been pretty routine in their trip westward in 10k's opinion. The small exception was that today in Nevada they had saved a truck driven by this showy bastard that insisted he return the favor to his new "friends", the man had even adopted 10k to be his "best friend" supposedly. If 10k was left in charge of decision making they would have left the man and went on their way after saving him, however Warren and Doc were right, they needed supplies and this man promised a large trading post, failing to mention it looked like a run down hotel. They walked into the lobby and though it was turning into dusk outside the inside seemed darker, however the bar was well lit with actual lighting.
"Damn, you guys have power?" Doc asked as they walked into the building with the man. Warren on edge, keeping her hand on her hip holster.
The man smiled as he lead them towards the bar, "solar panels, we also have running water, not always hot but it does the trick."
"Like a shower?" Addy chimed in. 10k couldn't deny that he often found himself missing the simple things that he had never thought of before, like the smell of shampoo.
"Of course, I'll get Shelly to arrange the rooms for you, the room and food is free, any entertainment you all might care to indulge in will cost you. The girls set their own rates," The man had told them to call him Sir, saying that as a professional he preferred to go by that name it was only when they arrived that Warren had pieced it together.
"Your trading post is a brothel." Warren said tightening her grip on her pistol.
"The girls bring in more hard to find commodities than anything else. Everyone can get booze, drugs, guns, but an evening of fun with a beautiful woman, much harder to come by." The man said smiling ear to ear, perhaps it wasn't the best idea to save the truck.
Addy began whispering to Warren about having a place to stay that was somewhere aside from the truck for even just a night would be worth the slight delay, they were all getting worn out from the constant running and perhaps one night of rest would be worth it, after all Murphy was clearly already making himself comfortable, sitting at one of the bar stools and smiling at the bartender who didn't seem to mind his blue skin. Doc seemed to also like the idea of rest in the brothel, though 10k couldn't be sure of his motives as to why, but the large glass jars of random pills and drugs behind the bar could have been a factor. It was only Vasquez who seemed to speak against the idea, Warren took a moment to ask 10k of his opinion to which he admitted the idea of getting to sleep without listening to Murphy snoring loudly was extremely tempting. When it had been decided that they would stay Warren sat at the bar and told the man he owed them all a drink.
It was then the lighting around seemed to dim. "Sure, but enjoy the show too. After all I feel I owe the kid down there something special, keep an eye out for something you like boy." The man said with a wink that sent cold shivers down his spine, he couldn't have meant what 10k's mind went too, though Doc believed he did with the elbow 10k received into his rib cage. He glanced over to Addy who just smirked and shook her head as she picked up the cup of hooch the man had set out for her. Just a few weeks earlier Addy had given him a pack of condoms and now he felt like it was the groups mission to get him laid instead of get Murphy to California.
10k was shocked when he saw that everyone's attention in the room seemed to go towards the makeshift stage they had built on the other side of the lobby, it had three poles running up from it at multiple points, this was someplace he never imagined he would end up in the apocalypse, a strip club.
"Ladies and gentleman," a woman's voice announced over some crude speakers. "Please sit back and relax, let our girls provide some much needed entertainment to your dismal lives." The music that started playing was never the type of music 10k found himself listening too, it had strong bass and drums a few different girls came out onto the stage then, a red head that went towards the left, a blonde who went towards the right and a woman who was older holding a microphone. "New patrons, quickly allow me to explain our house rules. Break them and our gentlemen at the doors break you. Number one, all things come at a price to be paid up front. Number two, if you see something you'd like payment may be taken at the bar. Number three, remember rule number one. Now allow me to introduce our local sharpshooter, Babydoll!" The woman grinned as a fourth girl walked onto the stage, she unlike the other girls was slightly more clothed. She was wearing black combat boots and shorts that barely covered her ass showing off the full length of her legs. Her top half was covered by a tight fitting jacket that had been cut off above her midriff leaving her entire flat stomach exposed. These weren't the things that drew 10k's attention to her, it was the fact that around her hips hung a loose belt with a pistol in a holster and her leg also had a small holster with yet another pistol. As she walked further out on the stage 10k finally looked her over completely, her dark hair hanging over her shoulders, her piercing crystal eyes darkened by black makeup around them, and the war paint across her cheeks. 10K must have been staring because he yet again felt Doc's elbow hit his rib rudely, 10k spun around to face away from the stage and grabbed the glass that must have been meant for him seeing as it was the only still on the bar.
10k met Doc's glance as the older man looked at the boy who seemed to be embarrassed to watch the women on the stage. "Come on kid, don't be like that..." Doc seemed to laugh. 10K only turned back around because he heard the sound of shattering glass, the girl on stage had one of her pistols pulled out and was pulling it back towards her as cheer erupted from the crowd, she had shot one of the men closer to the front's glass on his table, it had of course shattered. She holstered the gun as she placed her other hand on the pole to her left and swung herself around it. She moved with such ease and grace, it seemed off that she had the weaponry, unlike the girls on the other sides of the stage. The music changed pace a bit, sounding heavier than what had been playing earlier as she seemed to control the gaze of every man and most of the women in the audience. She leaned over, accentuating her ass as she pulled a knife out of her boot and tossed it across the stage past the blonde and hitting a marked target on the wall. 10K began to realize her performance unlike the others on the stage wasn't meant to be as strictly provocative. She seemed to be a niche that seemed to draw everyone's attention, she was what was necessary to survive in the apocalypse. She was deadly.
It was only when he saw her making her way off the front of the stage and a new girl came out to replace her in the middle did he even realize he had been watching her every movement so intently, her body gleamed as she walked past him to get to the bar next to him. "Sir back yet?" She asked the woman behind the bar, who nodded and placed a tray with a bottle of dark alcohol and empty glasses on it.
"You take that to table three, I'll get you Sir." The woman said as the younger girl sighed. 10K noticed that she was a lot younger than she initially appeared when she was on the stage, he believed she couldn't be much older than himself if even that old. The girl disappeared as quickly as she appeared with the tray making her way across the room to deliver the tray.
"Kid, you're drooling." Doc said poking fun at 10k as he turned back towards the bar setting his glass down signaling the bar tender for another. The woman looked curiously at Doc when the man they had saved places a back on her back and nodded, she proceeded to refill the glass. "Thank you." Doc said with a smile that left the woman with an unamused expression.
The older man they had saved came up and sat in the stool next to 10k. "See anything of interest kid? Or are you not into that kind of thing, no judgment of course we all have unique tastes."
"He was staring at Babydoll." The bartender said as listened into the men's conversation. "Why not give her to him? Get her some experience, maybe then she'd actually be worth a damn." The bartender clearly wasn't a fan of the girl they kept calling Babydoll.
"I don't want..." 10k started to say as he saw the man's expression change from happy to angry.
"Shelly are those rooms ready?" The man asked the bartender failing to hide his anger, she put down the glass she was drying and reached behind her and handed him some keys.
"Three suites," The woman behind the bar said as 'Babydoll' came back to the bar setting the tray down next to Sir. "Baby can show them to their rooms." She insisted as the man continued to glare at her, for some reason this seemed to calm his temper.
"Of course, Baby, show our guests to their rooms, and please if you all need anything feel free to let someone know. You are my guests for the evening." He said back in his joyous tone. 10K began to wonder about the man's mental health as the girl took the keys from him. She smiled as she waited for the group to gather. The man leaned over and seem to whisper something distinctly to her that made her bite her lip and look straight at 10k. "Enjoy yourselves, but do remember the water doesn't stay hot long."
The girl lead them over to the end of a hallway that was off the lobby. "Sorry, the elevators pull to much power during show hours. You are free to use them in the morning but after dusk they are out of order." She said as she held open the doors to the stairs. "We are going to the second floor so it's not like its a far walk." She said as Doc took the door from her, allowing her to actually lead the group. "There is usually a hostess stationed at the end of each hall, she'll be able to get you anything you may need." She said as she climbed the stairs, her shorts creeping up with each step, Murphy didn't even attempt to hide that he was looking as he almost ran straight into Doc who also seemed to be quite a bit of attention to the girl leading them. She opened the door to the second floor, upon opening the door another girl appeared to come through to hold the door open, she wasn't as dolled up as Babydoll but she was still quite pretty and under dressed, which made Murphy smile as he passed her. "This is the first suite, Sir asked I give it to you ladies, he wasn't sure if their were any couples though if the arrangements are not to your liking please let Alice know at the end of the hall." She said using the key to open a door to their left, it was a typical suite at a hotel before the apocalypse, two queen sized beds and a small couch. "Now if you men will follow me I'll show you to your room." Warren made sure to put her hand on 10k's shoulder telling him it would be okay for the one night to be separated.
Half way down the hall they stopped at another door. "I'm sorry I don't actually know any of your names but this room is for you three." She said pointing to Vasquez and Doc, again opening the door to reveal a room similar to the first that Addy and Warren had been given. "The couch is a pull out. It is a lot comfier than it seems, I promise."
"What about the kid?" Doc asked with concern.
"Sir seemed to insist he needed to receive his own room. Plus the last room key is a single, so you'd have to share a bed." She said with a straight face.
"I really don't..." 10k began, when Murphy interrupted him.
"I'll take it if he doesn't..."
"No way Murphy, you are with me." Vasquez insisted. "Kid, you'll be okay on your own right?"
"If you aren't just come back you know where we are," Doc said with a reassuring smile.
"Are you all done deciding who goes where, because I hate to be like this but I kind of have don't make anything when I am up here playing hostess." The girl said interrupting the men. "Sorry," she said with a shrug as she crossed her arms over her chest that seemed to be holding Murphy's attention. "Remember Alice is at the end of the hall for all your needs." She stated again her attention fully on Murphy. Vasquez pushed Murphy inside the room telling him not to get any ideas as Doc pulled the key out of the door and smiled as 10k. 10K swallowed hard as he began to follow the girl back down the hall. "Sorry but you are actually on the fourth floor." She said as they passed by Alice at the end of the hallway who blew a kiss to 10k with a wink. The women here were actually making him more nervous than being surrounded by Zs. "You can ignore the girls if you want, most of them make most of their points from desperate men. Playfulness goes a long way to being picked, and charging the sorry bastards more." She while they walked alone in the staircase up two more floors. "Typically we don't have people on this floor but we are running out of space this evening. So, it should be fairly quiet up here." She said as she held the door open for him on the floor. She accompanied him to the door and opened it for him and handed him the key. "Is there anything else you need? Hungry, thirsty, whatever?" She asked as he peered inside of the room, it was smaller than the two earlier rooms, just a single bed and instead of basic furnishing their was actually things on the desk. He shook his head as he entered the room, he walked towards the bed as he heard the door close. He turned around to see her standing inside the room with him.
"What are you doing?" He asked as his hand went towards the holster on his side.
"Please don't freak out, it's just on the desk. That teddy bear, it's a camera, please don't look at it. I have a job I am suppose to do so I am going to take my jacket off and throw it on the thing. Then I can leave or whatever but I need him to think I'm in here, okay?" Her voice sounded more stressed than she had the entire time. She unzipped the leather half jacket she was wearing and approached him, tossing her jacket in the direction of the desk, successfully knocking the bear over but not covering it like she had planned. He saw that she cursed lightly as she stood close enough that he could smell the sweetness of her hair.
He looked down at her, "is someone really watching?" He asked as he tossed his rifle off his shoulder and onto the bed behind them, making sure his face couldn't be scene behind her.
"Yeah," she breathed as she stood in front of him, he backed up and sat on the bed for a moment as he thought about what to do.
"Why?" He asked as he looked her body over from toe to head, noticing that beneath the jacket she was only wearing a black lacey bra.
"To make sure I do my job." She said as she ran her hand through her hair.
"Which is?" He asked.
"Seduce you." She answered.
10k's eyes didn't leave hers after his initial examination of her body. He stood and shrugged off his jacket as he did so. He walked up to her and tossed his jacket in the same direction as hers however his actually made the mark and covered the bear, he had stopped just short of her, again close enough he could smell her sweet perfume. "Some sharpshooter, you couldn't even his a teddy bear." He teased with a smile.
"I'm a sharpshooter not a stripper. Had you asked Ariel or Gretchen they would have hit the target easily." She said smiling up at him, he had to admit the temptation to just lean down and place his lips roughly against hers was harder to resist than he cared to admit. He was a hormonal teenager after all, apocalypse or not, but he also knew she was only in there because some man was telling her she had to be.
He turned away from her and tossed himself onto the bed. "Want a shower? The tap in this room is a bit finicky," she said as he walked over to the closet and pulled out a long sleeved men's shirt.
"How did you know that was in there?" He asked as she pulled it on over her shoulders and wrapped it around her. It covered her shorts which made it look like she wasn't wearing any at all.
She smiled at him as she closed the closet door. "This is my room." She said simply as he seemed to almost jump back off the bed. "Calm down, I don't use it that often. I just store my crap here. Most of the girls have rooms on this floor to store our clothes, clients don't want to see our personal shit when they are here, but Shelly has a sick sense of humor."
"The bartender?" He asked as he leaned back on the bed trying to relax on her bed.
"Yeah." The girl said pulling the desk chair out and sitting in it, crossing her legs over one another. "She's not my biggest fan, I'm too inexperienced and charge too much." She began to pull off her boots as she sat in the chair. "I stand by that shower comment." 10k could tell this girl wasn't like the one who had been in the hallway on the other floor. "You reek, like I get it, end of the world but hygiene is still important."
"Damn, okay I get it." 10k said pushing himself off the bed and walking in front of her towards the bathroom turning on the light seeing a relatively clean bathroom, though their was some hair products and make up on the counter by the sink. He pushed the door closed behind him when he heard her ask if he needed help with it, "No, I think I remember how to work a shower."
"Sure don't smell like it." He heard her smooth voice saying outside the door, she was a bit of a bitch almost reminding him of Cassandra when they first met.
He was sure to lock the door before turning on the water and stripping out of his clothing climbing into the warm water, the man downstairs had been right, the water wasn't hot but it did the trick. 10K allowed it to wash over him for probably longer than he should have as he had to actually clean himself using almost freezing water. The problem came when he turned off the water and wrapped himself in the towel. He had dropped his bag inside the door, and as much as he debated it, putting on his Z stained clothes didn't seem like a good choice. He wrapped the towel tightly around his waist as he opened the bathroom door, his bag fell towards his feet, the girl had moved it to against the door but as he looked out into the room he didn't see her anyways. He dragged his bag into the bathroom and shut the door once more as he dug cleaner clothes out of his bag, none of them being all that clean in all honesty.
When he emerged from the bathroom fully clothed the girl was still gone. He dropped his bag next to the bed and picked his rifle up and leaned it against the wall next to the bed, looking over to the desk, the bear still covered with both jackets, with a few new editions of most random clothing the girl had thrown on top. He looked at the bed and saw the once neat linens were now thrown about and one of the pillows had black smears on it. He picked it up as he heard the door open, his first reaction being for reaching quickly for his rifle dropping the pillow back to the bed.
"Don't shoot. Jesus." The girls voice caught his attention before his eyes saw her, she was holding a tray with some fresh cut fruit on it. "I assumed you be hungry, sorry for giving you some privacy." She said sitting the tray on the bed.
"Sorry." He found himself apologizing as he put the rifle back down. "We've been on the road for a while."
"I can tell." She said simply as she sat back down in the office chair that had been at her desk. "Where are you guys from anyways?"
"New York." He said as he sat on the bed and examined the fruit, their cut apples and strawberries something he didn't often get to enjoy.
"Seriously? That's awesome, I haven't met anyone from the eastern half of the US since the start of this shit." He picked up one of the apples and smelled it before biting into it. "I promise I only poisoned the strawberries." She said as leaned over and pulled one of them off and popped one of the strawberries into her mouth. "Don't worry, I've taken the antidote." She smirked at him, he noticed her face was smudged with her makeup had been, she had smudged it on the pillow, though she still hadn't found herself in much more clothing than before. "What's your name?"
"Ten thousand." He responded back picking up some blueberries off the tray.
"Your name is a number?" She questioned.
"Yeah, people call you Babydoll, what's the difference." He asked as he found himself staring at her.
Her smile seemed so genuine when she looked at him. "The difference is I hate that name." She said still leaning forward, he glanced down and saw down her shirt before his eyes quickly darted back up to her eyes. She must have noticed as she rolled her eyes. "Ashlyn, but you can call me Ash. I'm told it's easier to moan." The fact she couldn't even say it without trying to stop herself from laughing set 10k at ease. The man might have intended to give her to him, but she had other plans.
"Most of my group calls me 10k." He said simply as he readjusted himself to lay across the foot of the bed closer to the tray and to her in the chair. "Can I ask you something?"
She again picked up a strawberry. "Shoot, but not literally please, I'd rather not be a Z."
"How old are you?" He asked and he saw her look a little uncomfortable as she leaned back in the chair.
"Hasn't anyone ever told you it's not polite to ask a woman her age." She said looking away form him and towards the window the curtain had been drawn the entire time, mostly do to the fact the light was on. She stood up and walked over to it, peaking around the corner of the curtain to look outside. "I'm seventeen." She said as she looked back towards him. "You?"
Her question was only fair. "Eighteen I think... I'm not really sure anymore." He was surprised when she began to laugh at his uncertainty, it lead to the next few hours of conversation and laughter something he hadn't done with anyone in years.
"It's getting late, I have a key to the room across the hall... If you need me just come knock..." She said through her words were trailing off as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"You don't have to leave..." 10k found himself saying, "I mean it is your room."
"I'm just not good at this..." She said looking at him, he sat up and let his feet touch the floor, he was honestly confused as to what she meant.
She bit her lip and it clicked in his head. He quickly was on his feet. "No, that's not what I meant. I meant... You don't have to leave, I can go downstairs and stay with Doc or Warren." He swallowed hard, as he looked at her, with each passing minute she looked less like that sexy dangerous woman in the show and more like a scared girl.
"No, Sir wouldn't like that. He'd think I didn't do my job." She said as she pulled her shirt tighter around her. "He wants you to choose to stay tomorrow when the rest of your group leaves."
"Why would he want that?" 10k asked her as he approached her by the window.
"We lost a lot of our muscle the last couple months, he wants you and your rifle, but he isn't going to try and make you stay either. He wants you to make that choice."
"Which is why he was so insistent on me having my own room with a girl of my choice." 10k said piecing together the plan of the older man.
"Please don't stay." She said simply looking up at him.
"I don't plan on it." He said simply in return.
With that she turned and headed towards the door and hit the light switch as she opened the door. "One last thing... You chose me?"
"It's hard not to watch you." He said honestly as he saw her silhouette from the hallway light. He could only assume she was smiling as she told him good night and let herself out. He pulled the curtains open now that it was dark and looked out over the vacant street and looked up to see the stars and moon shining brightly, he tried to enjoy it but he knew he had made a mistake. He quickly crossed the room and pulled the door open to see her still unlocking the door across the hall. He put a hand on her shoulder and she spun around. He wasn't sure what took control of him as his hand found its way under her chin and pulled her mouth up so his lips could find them easier. Her arms went around his neck without any protest as his other hand wrapped securely around her waist, pulling her body tightly against his. They stumbled a bit backwards to where her back pressed against the door she had been attempting to open, her lips clashing with his neither one winning out in dominance. He pulled back for a moment to allow them both to catch their breath. "Don't leave..." He breathed as she seemed to finally begin to catch her breath. She pressed her lips against his pulling herself closer to her by wrapping her arms securely around his neck, his hands found themselves beneath her ass on both legs as she seemed to jump and wrap her legs around him allowing her to carry her back towards her room. Her lips didn't leave his as she used one hand to push the door shut behind them as he carried her to the bed, setting her down as nicely as he could. She laughed as her ass hit the bed and bounced a bit, he smirked as she climbed further onto the bed him following her every move until he was back on top of her, his lips placed back on hers, tasty every sweet inch of her mouth.
His hand ran up her side feeling her smooth skin, as she ran her hands through his jet black hair, pulling on it gently getting impatient with him. His lips pulled away from her lips and went to the soft skin on her neck, her fragrant shampoo filling his nose as he kissed down her neck and onto her chest, he ran his hand down her leg and pulled it towards her, finding his way between them with skill he didn't know he possessed, she seemed to grow impatient with the fact his lips weren't on hers as she let out a frustrated moan as she ran her hands out of his hair and back towards his chin where he felt her pulling him up slightly. He followed her command as he brought her lips back to his. He didn't want to admit it but this was the most he had ever done with a girl, he hadn't had any girlfriends before the apocalypse, and during the closest he had gotten was a kiss from a couple of girls but never being in bed craving the touch of someones body like this. He felt her push against his chest gently but it was enough to prompt him to pull back. She began to push herself up towards him as he found himself leaning over to the bed and allowing her to settle herself onto of him, her legs straddling his waist. He couldn't deny the fact that he wanted nothing more than to begin to remove clothing from one another, but he didn't want to push her to do anything uncomfortable.
She sat straight up and ran her hand throw her hair, and pushed it behind her shoulders, he could tell she was still breathless, just like he was; though in this moment he wasn't sure if he was breathless because of the fact their lips hadn't parted or because he was to busy anticipating what was to come. He found his hands resting on her waist as she pulled at him to sit up and reunite their lips once more. She brushed her lips against his, before moving past them to his jawline delicately kissing every so often leading him to sigh in frustration. The sheer amount of sexual frustration in the room was distracting enough, but the sound of gunshots was what finally broke the two teens apart.
He was taking deep breaths trying to stop his heart from racing as it was currently as she pulled herself away from him and raced over towards the window. "Shit." She said as he pushed himself off the bed and adjusted his clothing to fall back where it was meant too. "You guys need to get out of here, Sir's outpost to the north set off a flare, that means shits about to hit the fan. The Z's down there are probably just the start of a herd." She said as he joined her at the window as if the moment seconds before had never happened. She looked over to him as his eyes glanced out over the street, the men on the roof had shot down a few Z's in the street but she was right, they needed to leave.
He looked down at her and saw her eyes staring up at his he leaned down once more to place a much gentler and less desperate kiss on her lips, it was her who pulled away once more as she walked over to her closet and pulled out her pistol holsters, strapping them on her as he walked over and pulled his goggles back over his neck and slinging his bag over his shoulder before strapping his knife to his waist and pulling his rifle over his shoulder. "We need to get down to the rest of my group." He said as he looked back at her, she had dawned a leather motorcycle jacket that hadn't been cut like her earlier one, she had even zipped it closed, though she didn't seem to find actual pants still remaining in the shorts she had been wearing since they met.
"The Z's wont breach the perimeter, they never do, but being stuck here until a herd passes can be lethal." She said simply as she walked over to the door, preparing to open it.
"Stop, just humor me." He said as he grabbed the handle of his knife and walked over to the door with her, "in case it has." He said his eyes falling on her pistol on her hip.
She sighed before she put her hand on it and drew it from the holster and smirked at him. He nodded as he opened the door, the floor was empty, just as it had been when they arrived, they made their way to the hallway, making sure to cover one another with each door they passed until they reached the staircase door and stopped for a moment, he grabbed the handle as she pointed her pistol to shoot if anything was on the other side of the door, however when he pulled it open she was glad she didn't shoot as the old man he had come in with held up both hands, in surrender. "Don't shoot." He said in a panicked tone.
"Doc." 10k said with a sigh of relief as she lowered her weapon from the older man's face.
"Kid!" Doc shouted as he pushed past the girl and wrapped an arm around 10k. "Thank god, come on Warren and Addy are headed downstairs, there is a giant herd heading this way, everyone seems to be packing up shop." Doc said quickly, "I told them I'd find you..." Doc's words seem to drift off as he looked at the girl who had held a weapon to his face. "And your friend." He said with a dirty smirk that only 10k would allow from Doc.
"Can we hurry this up, I'm pretty sure a bunch of undead fucks want to make us their dinner." The girl said as Doc smirked at her, she went into the stairwell first as Doc held 10k back for a moment.
"You dog," Doc said ruffling the boys hair as followed the girl into the stairwell allowing 10k to take the rear. He rolled his eyes, knowing Doc was going to make a big deal out of this if they got out of it alive. They descended to the first floor fairly quickly only to be greeted by panic that seemed to be lead mostly by the girls of the establishment, the bartender was arguing loudly with Warren by the door, insisting they leave it closed.
Ashlyn grabbed hold of 10K's arm gently, getting him to stop before approaching the mass of bodies beginning to form by the door, "come on, both of you there is somewhere I need to show you." She said as he stopped, he almost began to protest until Doc shook his head and just followed the girl down the opposite hallway they used to get upstairs. She lead them quietly keeping her gun armed and ready as 10K kept hold of his rifle, Doc had gotten a machete possibly from Warren at some point in time since they went to their rooms. "This hall is off limits to everyone but Sir and his men." She said as they followed her blindly, 10K couldn't believe how reckless they were being but then again Doc was often reckless it would have been Warren or Addy who would have lead a protest against following her. She got to a door and knelt down in front of it and pulled a small key from her jacket pocket, "Sir would feed me to Zs if he knew I had this, it is broken but if you line it up right..." She said as she pushed it gently into the lock and as well as small hair pin that seemed to fit in the lock with the key, 10K looked cautiously to Doc who looked as excited as a child with a candy bar. The lock popping free was an almost silent but in the midst of the tension that seemed to be building around them it rang loudly in 10K's ear as she smiled up at him and stood back up before pushing the door on and flicking on the light switch.
It was clearly an old hotel staff laundry room, it was equipped with large metal shelves that used to house sheets and bedding and other cleaning supplies but now stored bottles of alcohol, containers of assorted drugs, and most importantly caches of weapons and ammo. "Holy guacamole." Doc said as he followed her into the room and walked over to one of the metal shelves and began to pick through a tote.
"Men will trade all they have for a night of life pre-apocalypse." She said as she closed the door behind them. "Fill your bags, and grab one of the old bags and fill it too, I doubt anyone is going to need it if it really is a mega herd."
"And if it isn't?" 10K found himself asking as he put his hand into a box of stray bullets, all sort of sizes in one box he let some fall from his hand as he looked back at her as she pulled a duffle bag off one of the shelves on the other side of the room and smiled at him.
"Then I'll just be sure to blame you guys because you all will be long gone." The way she smiled almost set him at ease and he pulled his bag to his front and began pick out a few types of handguns and bullets for his rifle and assorted hand guns being sure to pick up a couple extra clips he could quickly reload.
Doc had been picking though an assortment of old medicine bottles and grinning like a mad man the entire time. "It's like a gold mine in here." He said as he picked another bottle to add to his collection of drugs.
"This is Sir's select stash, they keep some of the other stuff in other rooms. They say before every show that the girls set their rates but really Sir takes it all and gives them protection and food. Most never even see what a man is willing to pay." She said simply as she filled her own bag and pulled it over her shoulder. "Five minutes and we need to get moving."
Doc and 10K began to pick up the speed in which they selected things, after there five minutes pasted 10K had filled his bag and got a spare one made for Warren, while Doc filled his backpack and filled a dufflebag with some random handheld weapons and a couple of sheets to be made into bandages if need be as well as a large bag of z weed. Ashlyn stood in front of the door, a military style backpack on both shoulder and the dufflebag being held over her shoulder, her right hand still holding tightly onto her pistol. "We need to move, there are gallons of gas in a cage out back. You can pull the thinner containers through the bars." She said to which Doc nodded, she opened the door and Doc left first, 10K however stopped her before he allowed either of them to follow him.
"Why are you doing this?" He asked staring into her crystal eyes that seemed to gleam with excitement.
"I like surviving, I don't want to drown in a sinking ship, if shit goes down I am not staying here." The way her hair fell over her face as she looked up to him made him smile. She pushed past him and followed Doc out to the hallway in which h followed suit pulling the door closed behind him.
It was the loud noise coming from the lobby that was the first sign of shit going south, but it was girls running up the opposite hallway that really sold the fact that if their were a metaphorical fan, shit had just hit it. They rounded the corner to see Warren with a gun pointed at the woman who had been running the bar, a shot gun trained on her by the same woman, Addy also had her handgun drawn her bat in her left hand at one of the men who were by the door, Vasquez was holding the man everyone kept calling Sir by the collar a gun resting on the man's temple. It took him a moment but when he spotted Murphy sitting on the bar with a bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey in his hand tipping it up to his lips. "Just in time for the party, another set of trigger happy idiots." Murphy mumbled as Doc crossed over to him.
"Now I am going to say this one last time, we are leaving through that door right now." Warren said in that calm tone she always managed to have.
"Do you not here all that firing outside, if you open those doors them damn Zs are going to know..."
"They already know you're here!" Addy cut the woman off.
"We are leaving or I'll just end..." Vasquez started before the woman began to laugh.
"Go ahead, you'd be doing me and all the girls here a favor!"
"Shelley, if it is as bad as to get a signal maybe we should think about packing..."
"Shut the fuck up Martin, you should just be happy you aren't dead yet." The man names Sir was cut off by the bartender once more, as Murphy pushed himself off the bar and crossed through the dead man's zone between the sides, as he crossed to the door the bottle of whiskey still in hand.
"Get away from there," the bartender turned her gun to Murphy as she did, the sound of a shot fired followed by silence.
The woman behind the bar slumped over the bar, everyone's eyes followed the sound of the shot, realizing it came out of Ashlyn's pistol. "Trey, lower your sidearm and let them leave or the next ones for you." Her voice was stronger than that of a teenager as she held her arm straight out pointing it at the armed men in black by the door.
"Fuck this." He said simply lowering his sidearm. "If you guys want to die, go ahead but I am going to be down here when you open that door." He said crossing past Addy, running into her shoulder as he passed. He walked passed 10K and Ashlyn as he headed towards the stairwell, it was then that the sound of shattering glass made 10K spin on his heels.
The Zs were distracted by the easy unprepared target, only a couple passing him to head towards Ashlyn and 10K. "Puppies and Kittens!" Warren barked as 10K took aim with his rifle as Ashlyn followed suit, providing mercy for the couple that approached quickly. They backed up towards the door, Sir was released from Vasquez's grip when the Z's entered the lobby through the windows in the back of the hotel. He ran up towards the stage and towards where Ashlynn knew he dressing rooms to be, a safe room to hide in with no windows.
Murphy took the moment of chaos to open the front door and slide past a couple of Z's that pasted him like he was nothing more than air. "Murphy!" Addy barked as they all began to take out the Zs that entered hoping to follow Murphy closely behind so he couldn't escape without them.
It felt as if they were being surrounded as 10K continued to back up with Ashlyn towards Warren and Addy with Doc and Vasquez filling in on each side. "Running low on ammo here." Vasquez said simply as felt his shoulder brush against 10K's.
"Head out to the truck, the Kid and I will cover you." Doc said as he looked over to Addy who seemed to tell him she was in a similar situation with just a look. "We are good. Go." With that Warren lead the command to begin the escape.
Doc was next out the door leaving just Ashlyn and 10K, Ashlyn taking care of the Zs coming in the back and 10k handling any that did make it through the front. "We are low on gas." Warren said from the cab of the truck as Doc climbed in the cab.
"That girl said their was a cage of gas out the back." He said, looking to Warren, "and I'd trust her." He made the point in pointing out. Murphy began looking through Doc's extra bag and pulled out a baggie of Z weed.
"We have to wait on 10K." Warren said nodding at Doc.
"No time! We have to move," Vasquez insisted from the back of the truck as a small horde came stumbling towards them.
"He'll see us going around back. Trust me, Warren!" Doc insisted as Warren shifted the truck into gear.
10K watched as truck whipped around the building. "Which way to the back?" He asked as the crowd of Z's coming in through the back of the lobby began to thin out.
"It'll be fastest to go through the hall that leads off from where they built the stage, come on." She said as they crossed the seating area and climbed up onto the stage, giving mercy any zombies that got to close. He struggled with the extra baggage as they made it through the slim backstage passage, though he was thankful it was slim enough that Z's couldn't easily follow. It was then that he noticed she had dropped the dufflebag she had made at some point in time earlier in the cross fire.
She only stopped once, but it was because both of them had a gun pointed at them, shaking as he stood in front of them, the man they called Sir. 10K faced away from him as he began to pick off the Z's that had followed them, one by one down the narrow backstage passage. "Babydoll." The man seemed to almost wimper.
"Sir, you don't need too..." She began but stopped when he raise his gun more into her face. She began as she began to raise her hands in surrender. It was then that she watched as the man pulled the gun back to his head. "I'm sorry." He said simply before firing a single shot. She didn't let it seem to phase her as she pushed past the crumbled corpse and continued on their way into a larger hallway that looked like a service corridor. Through the hallway not bothering to continue to pick off any Z's that followed, he watched her every turn and as she stopped in front of a door. "Good luck." She said before leaning up and placing a delicate kiss on his cheek. "May we meet again." She said before she tried to step away from him.
10k grabbed her wrist in protest. "Come with us." He stated simply to which she shook her head no.
The sounds of Z's meant they were drawing closer and there was no time to argue. Instead he let her go and watched as she continued down to another door and disappeared behind it. He opened the door in front of him to see the truck Warren was driving parked with Vasquez and Doc loading up a couple of military grade gas containers. "10K!" Addy shouted as he ran over and hopped in the back of the truck with her, as Vasquez and Doc jumped back into the cab.
"Where's the girl?" Addy asked, to which 10K didn't look at her and simply picked up his rifle and began to pick of Z's counting each falling body adding to his number letting the guilt slowly begin to wash over him. He could have protested with the girl more, she was down a large amount of her supplies, she was probably running low on ammo by now. He had watched her change clips once already... She was bound...
It was as Warren took off in the truck that he watched the body of a Z fall that he didn't shoot. He looked up to the roof of the building through his scope to see her standing their with one of the guards on the roof rifle, she held up a hand not waving but as a sign of life. He didn't bring his hand up to wave, but he did find himself lowering his rifle. Jefferson City was not going to be a place he would be able to forget.
He heard Doc in the cab through the open window telling Warren about how the girl had shown them the stock pile and how they would be set for drugs and ammo for a good while unless they hit another horde, yet 10k just found himself sitting in the truck bad staring off into at the slowly disappearing city on the horizon.
"Maybe you'll meet her again," Addy said putting a hand on 10K's hand grabbing hold of it and squeezing it gently trying to comfort him. He wasn't sure why he was feeling just a heavy layer of guilt but he also knew that even though the world was smaller than it was before the chances of meeting a single girl again was more unlikely than winning a lottery.